Hijacking Campaign 2019 - Information on Greater Wisconsin Committee

This is the phony issue ad arm of the Greater Wisconsin Committee, which is mostly funded by labor unions and ideological groups to support Democratic and left-leaning candidates for local, legislative, and statewide offices.

In early March, the committee sponsored a 30-second television ad that questioned the fairness of conservative Appeals Judge Brian Hagedorn following media reports about Hagedorn’s past blog posts, speeches, and his connection to a school that where employees and students can be fired or expelled for being gay.

The group also sponsored a 30-second ad that accused Hagedorn of lobbying for a new law in 2011 when he was Republican Gov. Scott Walker's chief legal counsel that shields nursing homes from liability when patients are neglected, abused, or die.

In mid-March, the group sponsored GWC sponsored two 30-second television ads - here and here. One advertisement accused Hagedorn of favoring discrimination because of his connection to a school that fires or expels staff and students for being gay. Another ad accused Hagedorn of lobbying in favor of changing liability laws to favor lead paint makers.

The group has spent at least $750,000 to produce and air the ads, which are running in the Madison, Green Bay, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, and Wausau TV markets.

Hagedorn faces fellow Appeals Judge Lisa Neubauer for a 10-year seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The election is April 2.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is working for a real democracy that allows the common good to prevail over narrow interests. We track the money in state politics and fight for campaign finance and other democracy reforms. WDC is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and charitable contributions supporting our work are fully tax deductible when you itemize.